Dyer hearing may be extended into June

The administrative hearing to determine whether Howard County school board member Allen Dyer will be removed from the panel could be extended into June.

Administrative law judge Douglas Koteen suggested Wednesday, the third of five scheduled days, that additional days be added. Koteen has repeatedly objected to the slow nature of the proceedings.

The Howard school board last June adopted a resolution requesting the state board remove Dyer from the panel, accusing him of such actions as violating confidentiality requirements and threatening school system staff. The state board moved the case to the office of administrative hearings.

Three witnesses have completed testimony: school board members Frank Aquino and Ellen Giles as well as Joel Gallihue, the school system's manager of planning. Board member Janet Siddiqui is scheduled to be cross-examined when the hearings resume on Monday.

Dyer, who is representing himself, said that he would likely call six additional witnesses to testify. Judith Bresler, who is representing the school board, said that she would likely call two. On Monday, both sides are slated to consider additional dates in June, meaning that the matter could continue one year after the resolution to oust Dyer was adopted.

Much of Koteen's objections to the pace of the proceedings have been aimed at Dyer. The Howard board member cross-examined Aquino for about six hours over Monday and Tuesday and Giles for about five hours over Tuesday and Wednesday.

In one of the more pointed moments during the proceedings, Giles accused Dyer of threatening her; she said that Dyer, in written correspondence, had accused her of deliberately misleading him and violating law, and she added that Dyer said he "would be forced to make that public." Dyer asked whether Giles could recount dates in which the supposed threats took place, and Giles said that the dates are on the written correspondence.